Mum's the word
by Paranoid Blue
Summary: A distraught Luna is wandering the halls of Hogwarts when she comes across someone who can relate to her experiences.


**A/N: **I realise that this isn't The Time Lady of Hogwarts but I was cleaning out my room and came across this story half written. I liked it so I fixed it up a bit and here is the result. Enjoy and review!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter (Unfortunately)

Hogwarts was silent. Moonlight streamed through the arrow slit windows glinting off the suits of armour and creating white stripes across the dark stone. A soft glow lit the corridor as a girl casting a Lumos charm wandered down it. The shuffle of her slippered feet and her soft sobs were the only audible sounds apart from the occasional hoot as an owl swooped past the windows. She wore only a thin nightgown but seemed to be unaffected by the cold of the castle.

Luna's long hair swayed from side to side as she walked down the corridor, her wide grey eyes seeming to be both alert and dreamy at once. It wasn't often that Luna roamed the halls of the castle. She only did it when she was upset or restless as she was tonight. It was usually thoughts of Luna's mother that drove her to such activities and tonight was no different.

She had had a nightmare, one she hadn't had since she was very young. Usually whenever she had this dream her mother would comfort her and maybe give her some chamomile tea before sending her back to bed. This time however, when she woke up, instead of her mother, she was faced with four other girls scowling at her for waking them up. The realisation that her mother would never comfort her again hit her and she mumbling her apologies, she waited until her dorm mates breathing evened out before slipping out of the tower so her sobs wouldn't wake anyone.

It had been four years since Luna's mother had passed away but every so often the loss would hit her again and reduce her to tears. There was no one she could talk to. No student would be caught dead talking to 'Loony Lovegood', she didn't feel comfortable talking to a teacher and as kind and brilliant as her father was; he wasn't altogether there in the head and anytime she mentioned her mother he'd go silent and still for a moment before changing the subject to the mating habits of Nargles or something so as a result, Luna wandered the corridors at night whenever she needed to sort out her thoughts about her mother.

A flash of silver from behind made her extinguish her wand and muffle her sobs. She ducked into an alcove behind a suit of armour hoping that it was one of the nice ghosts as opposed to the Bloody Baron or Peeves. The ghost glided past and Luna let out a sigh. It was the Grey Lady. Knowing that she wouldn't turn her in, Luna exited her hiding place and relit her wand. The sudden glow alerted the grey Lady to her presence and she turned around.

"Good Evening ma'am" Luna said politely. It always paid to be polite to ghosts otherwise you'd find yourself to be Peeve's new target. The Grey Lady silently surveyed Luna before asking "Why are you out so late?" Luna replied by saying "Just walking ma'am. I needed to sort out my thoughts" then she moved to return the way she came. She only made it a few steps before The Grey Lady spoke "Child" she said "Why are you crying?" Luna turned to look at her. "I miss my mum" she said sadly before walking off again. Barely a few steps later the Grey Lady whispered "Me too"

She sounded so sad that Luna, without thinking, turned and said "Would you like to talk about it ma'am?" The Grey Lady seemed surprised and observed Luna for a minute before replying "I'd like that very much thank you. And you can stop with the ma'am. I'd be obliged if you called me by my name. It's Helena. Helena Ravenclaw"

Luna stared at her in awe before saying "Your mother was a brilliant witch" Helena sighed "I know. I only wish I'd realised it sooner". Luna settled herself cross-legged on the floor. "I'm all ears" she promised Helena smiled gently and began to speak.

"I was a very spoiled child Luna. As Rowena Ravenclaw's only daughter I got everything I wished for and more but it wasn't enough. I hated how my mother was more popular and intelligent than me. I had always been praised for my beauty and wit but I became just another person whenever my mother was involved. People would flock to her in their hundreds hoping to court her or have her impart some wisdom on them. I remained invisible next to her. I behaved horribly to mother. Our shouting matches were infamous throughout the castle until one day I snapped. I yelled that I hated her and stormed off. Later that night I snuck into her room and stole her prized diadem hoping that with it, I could make myself cleverer and more important that mother. I fled the castle that night to a lonely forest in Albania and remained there for several years trying to forget about mother. I heard rumours that she was fatally ill but dismissed them; after all, I thought, my mother is Rowena Ravenclaw, praised for her knowledge worldwide, how could she be defeated by a simple disease? So I continued with my lonely life until about a month later when a messenger reached me. It turned out that mother really was dying and she was summoning me back to the castle. The messenger she sent had loved me for a long time but I had always spurned his advantages. When I refused to return with him, he turned violent. I ran and hid after concealing the Diadem inside a hollow tree however, the messenger found me and in his fury stabbed me. Shortly after, he came to his senses and upon realising what he'd done, he used the same knife to kill himself. As I lay dying on the ground I realised that I never did hate my mother so after I died, I came back and headed towards Hogwarts however I was too late. A day before my return, my mother passed away believing that I hated her. I had hoped that she'd return as I had so I could apologise but she never did. To this day I miss her still and regret how I treated her when she was alive"

By this time Luna was in tears "I'm so sorry" she choked "That's a really horrible thing to happen to anyone At least my mum knew I loved her. I wish yours did too" Luna said before dissolving into tears again. "Hush Luna" Helena soothed "I didn't mean to make you cry and since you listened to me I'll gladly return the favour" Luna's sobs stopped and she regarded Helena with large, hopeful eyes. ""You mean it?" she asked." Of course Luna" replied Helena. "Thank You" Luna said "You have no idea how much this means to me."

"Mum was in Ravenclaw like me" Luna started "She looked like me too. She had long blonde hair but blue eyes instead of grey. She wasn't as smart as your mother but I always saw her as the smartest person in the world. She was always in her potions lab. She was a potions mistress. I loved it in there. It smelled so exotic, like another land. She'd never let me in when she was brewing. She said it wasn't safe but whenever she was out of her lab she'd play with me and tell me stories. She always answered any question I had so to me she was the fountain of knowledge and whenever I had a nightmare she'd be there to comfort me. If it was a particularly bad dream she'd sometimes give me chamomile tea and no matter how much I tried, I could never recreate the exact flavour. I was outside when it happened. Dad was out getting ink for the Quibbler, Mum was in her potions lab and I was outside catching butterflies. I'd just seen the most beautiful Monarch Butterfly when I heard a bang from the house. I turned to look and saw lots of smoke coming out of Mum's potions lab. I abandoned the butterfly and ran to the lab as fast as I could but I was too late. When I got there, the door had been blown off of its hinges, the cauldron had exploded and Mum was" Luna's voice wavered "Mum was lying in the corner of the room covered in shrapnel and soot with cuts everywhere. I moved to go to her but she stopped me and said that the floor was unsafe due to the potion, that she was too badly injured to be helped and that she loved me and Dad lots. I told her that I loved her too then she died."

By now Luna was crying again. Helena hovered uncomfortably. She wanted to comfort Luna but was unable to touch her. Suddenly she had an idea. "Luna" she said softly "Follow me" Helena glided off with Luna on her tail still sniffing slightly. She led Luna to the seventh floor and to the wall opposite of the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. "Walk back and forth across here three times focusing on your garden" Helena instructed. Luna shot her a puzzled look but complied. Presently a door appeared. "Open it" Helena said smiling. Luna did so and let out a gasp "But how is this possible?" Luna asked taking in the familiar long grass and flying butterflies

"This is known as The Room of Requirement Luna" Helena explained. "However you wish for it to look it shall comply. I figured that your garden would calm you down and let you organise your thoughts". "Oh Helena" Luna sighed. "I could hug you" She turned to face the ghost her eyes shining with joy and gratitude. "This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me" Helena smiled. "It is the least I could do after you listened to my troubles. It was nice to finally tell someone. If you ever need to talk to someone again please don't hesitate to find me. I will be more than happy to help" Luna broke into a large smile. "I will Helena but only if you do the same. If you need to talk I'll be here" Helena laughed. "I will Luna, I will and now I'll leave you to your thoughts. Sweet dreams Luna". "Goodnight Helena" Luna replied

Luna collapsed into the sort grass and watched the butterflies dancing overhead. Helena glided down the corridor, her heart lighter than it had been in centuries. Two lonely girls had bonded over their mothers that night and had made a new friend. They'd never been happier.


End file.
